England captain Martin Johnson looks likely to skipper the side in Paris next weekend despite his three-week ban for punching in a club game.

England captain Martin Johnson looks likely to skipper the side in Paris next weekend despite his three-week ban for punching in a club game.

Leicester have appealed against the decision of the three-man Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel and as the new hearing is unlikely to take place this week, Johnson will be free to take the field against France in this season's crunch Six Nations encounter.

However, Neil Back remains on standby to captain England in the Stade de France.

Johnson did not play in Leicester's club game against Northampton yesterday, watching from the Welford Road committee box instead, and he was expected to discuss his immediate international prospects with England boss Clive Woodward today.

While Woodward tried to focus on playing matters, RFU disciplinary officer Robert Horner was faced with assembling an appeal panel.

Johnson was banned for three weeks after punching Saracens hooker Robbie Russell during a Premiership match on February 9. Referee Dave Pearson yellow-carded both Johnson and Russell.

"The sentence doesn't start until the appeal has been heard," said RFU chief executive Francis Baron today.

"Clive is fully briefed on the situation, and he will make his own judgement what to do when he comes to pick his team."